Counter for pool



(No Model.) J. G. SWANTON'.

COUNTER FOR POOL.

No. 269,896. Patented Jan. 2', 1883.

N. PETERS Pholo-Lilhngfimher. Washinglm 04c.

I U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN G. SW ANTON, OF NEW? YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF 'lO JOHN D. OOONNOR, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT.

COUNTER FOR POOL SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 269,896, dated January 2, 1883.

' Application filed March 8, 1882. (N0 model.)

.[0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN G. SWANTON, of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Counters for Pool, of which the following is a specification.

This improvement relates to counters for the game known as pool. The attendant or marker generally keeps the scores of the various players by placing the balls pocketed by them in the compartments assigned to them in a rack. The numbers of the balls have to be consulted to ascertain the scores. This necessitates the moving of the attendant or marker almost constantlyfrom the table to the rack, and in time this becomes very irksome.

The object of the improvement is to enable the attendant or marker to perform his duty without the necessity of constantly moving from his seat.

To this end the improvement consists in the combination of aboard having a series of rows of small holes or equivalent devices, and severally designated with numbers or figures indicative of the players of the game, with a series of tags bearing numbers or figures corresponding to those on the balls, and provided with pins or other suitable devices whereby they may be attached to the board by engaging said pins or devices with the holes or equivalent devices in the board. This is intended generally to be used with a pooltable whosepockets communicate with a trough leading to a tray-like rack located in a position where it can be conveniently reached by the attendant or marker. The latter will not then have to leave his seat, except at the beginning of each game in order to place the balls.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front or face view of a board embodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is a view, ona larger scale, of a part of the board and one of the tags. Fig. 3 is a view of a billiard-table of the kind before alluded to, and Fig. 4 is a view of the tray above mentioned.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts where they occur in the sev eral figures.

Referring first to Figs. l and 2, A designates a board forming part of the counter. It has a series of rows of small holes, a, extending transversely across it. The holes of each row must be of a number equal to the great.- estnumber of balls which any one player is likely to pocket. To the left of these rows of holes are numbers or figures which designate the several players. Within or adjacent to these numbers are other holes, 1). Holes b, similar to the holes I), are arranged in a row along the lower end of the board. These latter holes are only necessary when the rows are less in number than the number of balls used. They are numbered consecutively after the holes I).

B designates a series of tags, severally marked with numbers or figures corresponding to the numbers or figures of the pool-balls and to the numbers or figures of the holes b I). These tags are provided on the backs with pins 0. When any player pocket-s a ball the attendant affixes the tag bearing the number or figure corresponding to that of the ball to one of the holes act the row belongingto that player. This can be done by the attendant very quickly and without his taking his eyes for any material time from the pool-table. He will not need to leave his seat to do this. At the end of each game he will have to replace the tags in the holes I) I).

I do not wish to confine myself to affixing the tags to the board by means of the holes and pins, as other simple devices may be employed for this purpose. 4

Referring now to Fig. 3, O designates a pool-table. D designates its pockets. E designates a trough on the under side of the table, leading from the pockets to a delivery-chute, F. The rack or tray G (shown in Fig. 3) normally occupies a position under this chute, so that it will receive the pocketed balls. It may have a sliding bottom to facilitate the placing of the balls upon the table, or it may be turned over, if skillfully manipulated, so as to properly place the balls.

What I claim as my invention, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-- The combination, with a board having a se equivalent devices, substantially as specified.

J. G. SWANTON.

pins or devices with the aforesaid holes or 

